1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to deck support framing and more particularly pertains to a new support frame component system for decks to provide support framing for a composite deck material that has a similar lifespan to the composite material and that is also easier to construct than using composite material and conventional framing techniques.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of deck support framing is known in the prior art. Typically, the support framing for the decking has been constructed out of material that is similar to the material which formed the decking. For example, a deck constructed out of a wood material, such as cedar or redwood, has been supported on a support frame that was also constructed out of a similar wood, so that the useful lifespan of the decking approximately matched the useful lifespan of the support framing. In this way, the support framing would not reach the end of its lifespan before the decking did, or vice versa.
Recently, new materials have been developed for use in decking, including materials such as polyvinylchlorides (vinyls), polyethylene, and composite materials that include various mixtures of wood fibers and plastic materials. These materials have been developed to have a significantly longer lifespan than conventional wood decking materials, as well as having other improved properties over wood, such as wear resistance. A significant drawback to these materials is the relative cost of the materials, which often can be justified by the longer lifespan of the material that in turn avoids the cost of more frequent replacement required with the relatively cheaper wood material. However, this less frequent cycle of replacement does not reduce the upfront building cost of these more expensive materials.
To reduce the cost of the initial installation, rather than using the composite materials for the support framing of the deck, it is tempting to use a relatively cheaper material (such as regular or “treated” wood) for the support framing for the composite decking material, as the support framing often does not receive the same exposure to wear and environmental elements as the decking material itself. However, since the lifespan of the composite material can be significantly longer than the wood used for the support framing, there is a definite possibility that the composite decking material may have to be removed from the wooden support framing structure once it has been compromised by age, even though the composite decking material itself has years of useful life left. Heretofore, the only way to avoid this possible scenario was to form the deck and support framing for the decking from the same material despite the significant upfront cost.
In these respects, the support frame component system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides a system primarily developed for the purpose of providing support framing for a composite deck material that has a similar lifespan to the composite material and that is also easier to construct than using composite material and conventional framing techniques.